Lewis Hamilton broke the circuit lap record and drew level with Michael Schumacher for another feat on Saturday as he claimed a record-increasing 90th pole position of his career for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The six-time champion clocked a stunning time of one minute and 13.447 seconds on his second run in final qualifying to finish just ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas as Mercedes reeled off its 65th front-row lockout.
Another mark beckons
It was Hamilton’s second successive pole of the season and his Schumacher-equalling seventh pole at the Hungaroring, where on Sunday he seeks his eighth victory, potentially drawing level with another Schumacher achievement for wins on the same track (Magny-Cours, France).
“I have to pinch myself,” said Hamilton. “It doesn’t register. It’s quite humbling because I work with an incredible bunch of people who do an amazing job here and back home. “And Valtteri doesn’t make it easy for me. It takes perfection to do laps like that so this is one of the things I enjoy most.”
Bottas said he expected it to be close. “We seem to be on another level, pretty far ahead of the others. My laps were ok, but I couldn’t go faster really.”
Racing Point impresses
Behind the two ‘black arrows’, the controversial ‘pink Mercedes’ of Racing Point were third and fourth with Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez ahead of a much-improved showing by four-time champion Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc for Ferrari. Max Verstappen was a disappointing seventh for Red Bull, Lando Norris eighth ahead of his McLaren teammate Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly, in his 50th Grand Prix, 10th for Alpha Tauri.
The starting grid:
Row 1: Hamilton (Mercedes) and Bottas (Mercedes); 2: Stroll (Racing Point) and Perez (Racing Point); 3: Vettel (Ferrari) and Leclerc (Ferrari); 4: Verstappen (Red Bull) and Norris (McLaren); 5: Sainz (McLaren) and Gasly (Alpha Tauri).
6: Ricciardo (Renault) and Russell (Williams); 7: Albon (Red Bull) and Ocon (Renault); 8: Latifi (Williams) and Magnussen (Haas); 9: Kvyat (Alpha Tauri) and Grosjean (Haas); 10: Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) and Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo) .
